I think it is a multi-dimensional, complex problem, and different people are experiencing different effects. However, one thing I've noticed about myself is th

I think it is a multi-dimensional, complex problem, and different people are experiencing different effects. However, one thing I've noticed about myself is that I don't seem to get as much out of social events. I'm in my 50s, so I've had lots of experience pre-cellphone and pre-internet, and I like seeing people and think we can be more isolationist, the issue is that when I do get together with people, it just isn't that much fun for the most part. I like it, but I don't have a strong desire to keep doing it. I do tabletop RPGs once a week, and that's fun because there is a focus I like. But getting together for other social events is just kinda mid. And others feel the same way. For better or worse, there are many other intense, engaging, fun, interesting things I can be doing that tailor to my personal tastes. So getting together with some people to just chat or play some random game like we used to is a nice thing now and then, it is too dull to attract me to do it very often. I can see it in my 15 year old son, too. He sometimes craves hanging out with his buddies laughing and having fun, but he also really likes doing the activities he really enjoys, even solo. Ideally, he'd have a fun group that likes to banter just like him, doing the exact activity that he enjoys, but that is really difficult to find. I guess, to me, it looks more like we all have very niche activities we really enjoy and fit our personalities really well, but the overlap of all these activities results in a small population. So you have the choice of really enjoying yourself and being alone, or being mildly engaged but doing so with a group of people. I think the ones most happy are those whose interests align with what a lot of people like to do, which is why sports is so strong these days.